Steve Sarkisian's comments on Jaylan Ford going to New Orleans in the fifth round of the NFL Draft
Texas linebacker Jaylan Ford was one of 11 Longhorns drafted during the 2024 NFL Draft. Ford was selected by the New Orleans Saints with the 175th overall pick in the fifth round of the draft.
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Here’s what Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian said about the news of Ford heading to New Orleans.
“Jaylan Ford is a great pick for New Orleans and will be an awesome addition to the Saints,” said Sarkisian in a statement. “He was huge for our program. In year two as we were transitioning from a tough year one defensively, Jaylan really stepped to the forefront and became the leader of our defense. He had a fantastic season that year with critical plays that made a huge difference for us. Then he takes it up another notch last year and becomes one of the great leaders on our entire team, he was on our leadership committee and was a team captain. He just meant a lot to us in our first three years building our program. He was a magnet to the football, created turnovers, recovered fumbles, got interceptions, had the ability to rush the passer, and in the end, was a leader in transforming our defense from year one to year two to one of the best units in the country last year.
“The thing that makes Jaylan a great NFL prospect is his versatility. He’s got the size, speed and a really high football IQ. We asked him to do it all – rush the passer, stop the run and cover people in space. He’s a guy that can play the run and cover the pass. He can play either of the inside linebacker spots, and I think his versatility at the NFL level is going to be key because he can do multiple things for you. The Saints will love this guy, as a player, in the locker room and in the community. Jaylan’s just an incredible player and person.”
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Ford was ranked as the No. 1194 overall prospect, the No. 134 linebacker, and the No. 144 player in the state of Texas in the 2019 On3 Industry Ranking, a proprietary algorithm that compiles ratings and rankings from all four primary recruiting media services.
